Table tennis draws players of all ages

Table tennis is a popular sport in Brevard County. One of the participating facilities is at the Cocoa Beach Recreation Center.

Brenda Eggert Brader

Table tennis is alive and well in Brevard County. Under the label of the Space Coast Table Tennis Club, the active group of 60 members wants more members. Age is no restriction.

Although there are a lot of seniors, a mix of players ranging in age from 9 to 89 regularly play.

“We have a regular basis of 15 and 25 people showing up,” said Bill Mitchesan, who is the leader of the group and who has been playing table tennis for 52 years. “We have the ability to put up 10 tables and the equipment and materials for very large groups.”

From a minimum beginner to an expert, Mitchesan said members will work with anyone who wants to join whether they know how to play or not.

“We love people who want to learn the sport,” Mitchesan said. “Although we have people who play all over the group, we have all abilities. No one will ever be embarrassed on how they play. It’s only a reduced game of tennis. The reduced ball of tennis at 90 miles an hour is not the beginners but just the better players.”

Mitchesan said people playing table tennis don’t have Alzheimer’s or other ailments.

“It is a great aerobics exercise,” Mitchesan said. “They think of pingpong, but this is a competitive sport. When we get an article printed, a bunch of people come out of the woodwork to come and play. Some of those are people who have been trying to beat their neighbors for years. They come and observe and see how good it is competitively. We gather them up and make sure they get involved.”

The group plays in two locations — Merritt Island and Cocoa Beach.

The Merritt Island group plays from 7:30 to 10 p.m. each Monday and from 6:30 to 10 p.m. each Wednesday at the Veterans Memorial Center at 400 Sykes Creek Blvd. on Merritt Island.

The Cocoa Beach group plays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. each Sunday at Space Coast Table Tennis at 321 Ramp Road in Cocoa Beach at the city of Cocoa Beach Recreation Center.